Emotional Mask
However, the mask that I am talking about here is an emotional mask. This can effect: how one sees themselves in the mirror; how one believes other people see them and how one feels about themselves and their capabilities.
And this mask might have very little to do with who one actually is. This is a mask that has typically been formed through the interactions and experiences one has with other people. And based on these two aspects one then comes to the conclusion of who they are. Some may wear the mask of arrogance in order to hide their insecurity. Some may wear a mask of amusement to hide their boredom. Another mask is the mask of smiles to hide sadness or the laughter to hide pain. So which mask are you wearing? How many different masks do you wear? Do you wear a certain mask around a particular person or environment? We all emotional masks. Think about some of your answers to the questions I just asked. Be honest with yourself.Why do you wear the mask you are wearing?
I'm going to start by being "real" with you and share with you some of my masks. Probably the mask I have used the most is the mask of perfection. Especially in my previous marriage. I remember on a daily basis having to act as if I had the perfect relationship. I tried to convince myself that it was and I was good at convincing everyone else but deep down I knew that it was not.NO relationship is perfect but I sure acted as if mine was. By nature I always try to see the bright side of things and look for my blessings so yes I was truly feeling grateful and blessed during that time but what I was hiding was that my husband was the best man I ever knew and did no wrong. Now I'm not the type of person to share my problems with facebook and the rest of the world but I wasn't really even sharing my problems with my close family and friends. I remember sharing a little with my younger sister but I still pretended and acted as if My husband was just flawless in so many ways. We all have flaws. I have many. But there's a big difference between flaws and dealbreakers. Flaws can be dealt with.They can be small imperfections or annoyances we see in another and easily dealt with.Dealbreakers are a different story.A dealbreaker is something that is absolutely unacceptable in your "value system". Well, over time the truth came out,my marriage ended and even though many people heard my story and figured out that my marriage was the exact opposite of everything I claimed it to be I found myself feeling more free than ever that I was not living in that denial anymore. People were shocked and I believe it was because the mask that I wore in that marriage. I finally had to remove my mask. Unfortunately my ex husband still wears many of his masks and I'm at a point in my life where I can pray for him and truly have compassion for him as a person that he really needs healing. I hope he gets that. We all need emotional healing. I believe that because of our emotional wounds and fears is what causes us to put on our mask.
So now I ask myself which mask am I wearing now? Well sometimes I find myself putting on that perfection mask again and I remove it and go to my Creator in heaven and confess my anxieties, my doubts and confusion. It is a daily process to self evaluate and reflect on why we do things and how we can better ourselves. But recognizing our value in Christ is key. My hardest storm had me questioning my self value in so many ways. Sometimes I wonder if I am being the kind of wife, woman and mother God wants me to be. I don't have all the answers but I can tell you who does. Our God has all the answers. I lived my life wearing a mask, doing things MY way and not Gods way. Well that grew me very tired and I finally surrendered it all to God. When I was willing to ONLY accept Gods plan for my life and live according to His word is when God began moving and orchestrating every detail in his time frame. Many of you don't know my old story or my new story but I am now married to a man who loves the Lord as much as I do. God reunited us 9 years later after we first met (old friends) and while both of us were going through a similar pain we both began to heal when we looked to God first and put our faith in Him. Over time God spoke to each of us separately telling us we would marry each other. God was so detailed that I even knew when I would be married. Aaron did not know God had spoke this to me and I did not know God spoke to him the same message within a day apart. The rest is history.
I am not going to put on the perfection mask again and say our marriage is perfect, that my life is perfect and that I know it all. Yes I truly am blessed and my husband loves the Lord first in his life like I do. But we are still learning and growing in our marriage and still figuring the challenges out that life can throw at us. There is only one thing that I know for sure. My life being God focused first is the only way I want to live. Sure I sometimes don't feel like reading my bible and I forget.I'm human. But I am aware that everyday I need to keep putting God first and keep on trusting Him in everything. God sees us behind our masks. You cannot hide anything from Him. So if you have been reading my post here and find yourself answering the question of what mask do you wear and why then I would encourage you to take it off and just have that conversation with God about your struggles. You don't have to hide from Him because no matter what you have done or who you've become you have a Savior who loves you that much and all you have to do is confess to Him and ask Him into your heart. Ask Him into your life. Seek His way. Seek His word. Seek the plan He has for you. He loves you just as you are right now in this moment. He can never love you any less. But He has better for your life. He has abundant blessings and you receive more of His blessings when you live in obedience to His word.
Romans 5:8 ESV / 23 helpful votes
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9 ESV / 12 helpful votes
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 14:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
1 John 1:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
